Bernie Ecclestone to face trial in October 2023 over alleged fraud

Formula 1
Bernie Ecclestone leaves Southwark Crown Court

Ex-Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone will face trial in October 2023 over an alleged failure to declare about £400m in overseas assets.

The 91-year-old appeared at Southwark Crown Court on Tuesday.

He is charged with a single count of fraud by false representation.

Ecclestone, who denied the allegations in August, is accused of failing to declare a trust in Singapore with a bank account containing funds of around $650m.

The charge brought against him in July followed an investigation by HM Revenue and Customs, which said the probe had been “complex and worldwide”, relating to a period between 13 July 2013 and 5 October 2016.

Ecclestone is alleged to have disclosed “only a single trust” to tax authorities, one in favour of his daughters, according to the charge read at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in July.

The court heard he said he was “not the settler or the beneficiary of any other trust” but the prosecution alleged the businessman acted “with the intention of making a gain for yourself”.

Judge Deborah Taylor fixed a trial date for 9 October next year. Prosecutor Alexander Langhorn said the trial would be expected to last six weeks, potentially sitting half days because of the “defendant’s fitness to participate”.

Ecclestone, who turns 92 later this month, may not be required “to be present throughout”, the judge confirmed.

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